This Is What You Need To Understand About Makeup (And About The Women Who Wear It)

Much has been said about makeup and women who wear makeup. Much opinion has been formed about makeup and about women who wear makeup. Much has been expressed— by both men and women— on the subject of makeup and makeup wearing. Now, you are about to read something that I hope becomes the sacred word on makeup and makeup wearing and it would do your mind good to read this right now, whether you are male or female. Let's nail this down right now. For everyone.
The most common opinion that people have about a woman who wears makeup, is that she is trying to be beautiful. The second most common opinion is that she is trying to hide something. The third most common opinion is that she is trying to look different. And the fourth most common opinion is that she is trying to prove something to someone (or to everyone). Let us examine these opinions and present the facts parallel to them.
Some argue that the use of makeup can be dated back to 100,000 years ago, during the African Middle Stone Age. Archaeological evidence of this has been found. Irrefutable evidence of the use of makeup and other beauty cosmetics certainly dates back to the times of the ancient Egyptians (1st Dynasty of Egypt c.3100-2907 BC), Greeks (5000 BC), Jews (approximately 840 BC), Persians (early tenth century), Chinese (3000 BCE), so on and so forth. Archaeology proves that men and women have been using makeup since times immemorial.

Nefertiti bust with eyeliner applied
(1,320 BC- 3,300 BC)

During the European Middle Ages, the Church had condemned the use of makeup as immoral and sinful. Nevertheless, many people ignored that and continued to wear makeup. But as a result of the stigma manufactured by the Christian Church clergy in Europe, during the early 1900s the popularity in makeup began to fade and the use of it could be found predominantly amongst prostitutes (ladies of the night). Since it was designated as a sin, then it naturally remained as a trend amongst the sinful. I believe this mindset still taints the minds of men and women today, although to a much lesser extent. There is that idea in the back of the minds of some people, which associates the use of makeup with prostitution/ being an "easy woman".
Needless to say, today, men and women wear makeup as a norm; men to a much lesser extent than women when we examine the Western culture in particular (in many Asian cultures, straight men may own more makeup items than women). And it's now more than ever, that we need to really examine the popular notions and opinions that people do form in their minds, whenever they see a woman wearing makeup! Why? Because too many people are not thinking for themselves properly! And so, I will provide you with the tools that your mind needs to utilize in order to create informed opinions before speaking your mind and appearing to be a fool!
Surely, there are always a bunch of women who are going to use makeup because they indeed think that makeup will make them beautiful, because they indeed do want to change their appearance, hide themselves, and/or prove something to people. However, just like all things in our lives, there are always a bunch of people who are going to do something for their own reasons. Case in point: Many men buy new cars in order to get laid. Solid fact. But do all men buy new cars in order to get laid? No. Another case in point: Many people sign online petitions on Facebook, in order to appear to be good people. Solid fact. But do all those who sign online petitions, do so for the sake of the eyes of others? No. I hope these two solid fact examples are enough for you to catch my drift. I could go on and on with more examples, but, I trust that you don't need them.
I personally really have a passion for makeup. I think that they are beautiful items. I know the history of the House of Chanel, the House of Guerlain, Chantecaille; I know the inspirational and empowering story of how Bobbi Brown launched her own cosmetics empire from her love of mixing colours and textures; I know the life story of Estee Lauder and how she would pick flowers from her own garden to harvest into her cosmetics jars, so on and so forth. I know my cosmetics, beauty and fashion history! I am passionate about beauty and I think that beauty of the world and beauty of one's form and appearance, is an honourable pursuit. I believe that it is artistic and that it is respectful and polite of oneself and of others. Just as I would not go to a meeting with someone without brushing my teeth, I would in that very same light, not show up for a meeting with someone without applying perfume. I would not show up for a meeting without my favourite shade of lipstick on! Why? Because I respect the other person, the meeting that I have with him/her, and I respect myself! Moreover, just as you would not show up to a meeting with someone without wearing a shirt, I would not show up to a meeting with someone without covering my acne scars. Why? Is it because I want to impress you with my flawless skin? Maybe! But you ironed your shirt to appear conscientious and respectful of your body; if I do the same with my skin, why is this any less important than what you do with your shirt? Especially in Asian cultures, where the skin is regarded and ordained the most important organ of the woman's body (and it is in fact the largest organ of the human body, biologically speaking).

I am aware of the fact that makeup does little for the unsightly. It may improve their appearance a bit, but, if you are not good to look at, makeup will do little for you. I do not use makeup in order to change my appearance. I am also aware of the fact that women today do something called "contouring" which does dramatically alter the appearance, to the extent that someone can really turn out looking like someone else, entirely. But, I don't do contouring, not in the least. Why? Simply because I have very oily skin and all of that contouring would just melt off of my skin an hour later! Also, I just feel like I don't want it! So, even if I had dry skin, I probably still wouldn't contour my face with makeup. Does this mean that I think women who contour their faces are fake? They are probably not "fake". They are probably just enjoying the process of application. Believe me, plenty of women enjoy the process of applying makeup to their faces, just like how painters enjoy painting sunsets on their canvases.
My mother detests makeup. She doesn't enjoy the application process, she can't be bothered with applying a lipstick before heading out the door, and she can't even be bothered with carrying a powder in her bag. She's just that type of person! And that's okay! Her and I are the opposite in this aspect and that really is okay! But what's interesting about this, is the fact that my mother is truly a phenomenal artist. And I mean truly, truly phenomenal. And her specialty is the human face. Believe me when I say, that if she sketches or paints a human face, you will be able to identify who that face belongs to within seconds. She is really that accurate. And yet, she cannot and will not be bothered with makeup! And that's just her!
Perhaps there are many women who are fake, who like to contour their faces and use too much makeup. But that is to the same degree as the many women who are fake, who try to prove that they are better women by not wearing any makeup! Yes, those types do exist in abundance: "I am a better kind of woman, because I don't need makeup to prove anything to anyone, this means that I am more secure than that woman over there and I am more secure than this woman over here. I am better, I have a better heart." And so, such types of women are just as fake and just as pretentious as the women who bake and cake in order to prove a point. These are just two different types of pretentiousness! Different types, but equivalent in outcome.
In all human interactions and actions, there are the fake and there are the pretentious. There are the simple and there are the pure. This applies to everything. Fakeness can be found in all human actions and interactions: from church attendance to the brand names on handbags. From mindsets and political affiliations, to the posts that are made on social media. It is up to us to determine which types of fakeness actually affect our lives profoundly. I don't know about you, but I am of the persuasion that a woman's baked and caked face probably will not affect my life as profoundly as a woman's carefully outlined presentation of personal goodness.

Aside from the respect and politeness for other people and for myself, which I express through the use of makeup, I enjoy makeup for its beauty in craftsmanship. Not all women appreciate delicate and ornately crafted items. Albeit, many women would rather have a toolbox. That's okay! My mother has a toolbox and she can assemble an electrical generator with her own two hands! But there are also women who like to climb trees and would rather do so with a lipstick and a compact powder in their back pockets. Some women like to do all things with a glorious face and that's okay! It's not that our makeup-free faces are not glorious, but, why should we forego feminine choices in our day-to-day lives? Because for many of us, makeup application is not only enjoyable, but, it is in fact an expression of femininity. If that's how we like to express our femininity, then that's up to us. And that's okay.
In this day and age of feminism, other women are dictating to their fellow women, more than ever before, what it is supposed to mean to be feminine. To be feminine means to get a degree and become an engineer and to not have kids and not get married. Well okay, if that's what some people think, then they are free to think that. But that is not what femininity means for everybody. For some people, femininity is the celebration of the attributes that differentiate us from men. And for me, that is indeed what femininity stands for. This does not mean that I do not have a brain. Modesty aside, I consider myself to have a better thought process than many people with doctorate degrees. In fact, there are plenty of people with doctorate degrees who need my guidance in their lives! And so as you can see, being feminine in a way that celebrates what differentiates myself from the masculine in this world, does not mean that I am not brilliant, that I am not intelligent, that I cannot be effectively smart.
If women need to hide things on their faces with makeup, why is this a crime? If you had a scar on your face and you sought treatment or coverage for it, should I consider this as a telltale sign that you are a fake and deceitful person? I have acne scars on my face that stem from my adolescent years. Thankfully, they are easily covered with concealer/foundation. Is this a deceitful crime? I think not. Some people shave their beards, some people wear contact lenses, does this therefore mean that they are being fake towards me by not showing me their true unshaven faces and/or that they are deceiving me by making me think that they have perfect eyesight? I hardly think so!

Why is there an obsession with women and makeup? Why is there no obsession over how people like to quote Buddha in order to make others think they are enlightened? Why is there no obsession over how people like to associate themselves with the Dalai Lama in order to publicly and visually align themselves with what is peaceful and good? Why is there no obsession over how many times a man shaves in a day? Really, when you examine all that I have presented to you here today, you will be able to plainly and simply see that there is a laughable imbalance here. And I think that this most likely stems back to the early 1900s when the Church designated makeup and the use of makeup to harlotry, sinfulness and immorality. There is that quiet, mute little notion in the back of people's minds, that just festers there.
Do people realise how much makeup it actually takes to make a woman look like she is not wearing any makeup at all? It takes longer, and it takes a lot more product, to make a woman look like "the no makeup look." Usually, a woman with a bright red lipstick is probably wearing only a bright red lipstick, some foundation, concealer and a bit of eyebrow pencil. It's the women who are wearing nude lipsticks that are caked in highlighter, contouring pencils, so on the so forth. And so, you are ultimately deceived by the things that you judge to be better. And why is this so? Well, that is because it would all benefit us to judge no one but ourselves, in the first place. And to judge ourselves not for the sake of the eyes of others, but to judge ourselves for the sake of our own eyes when we look into the mirror.
We all have different preferences in makeup. Mine is a preference for what is simple and elegant (elegance is simplicity, afterall). But others have a preference for the dramatic and the intense (which is none of my business, afterall). While I enjoy collecting beautifully crafted makeup items and while I am ever so appreciative of some of the exotic, rare and very beneficial, healthy ingredients that go into some of the luxury makeup products; I also enjoy using a light hand with makeup, just as much as I enjoy a light heart in life! Simplicity and lightheartedness is elegance.
Finally, as you can plainly see, the makeup that I use, and how much I appreciate it, is only an extension of my own attitudes towards beauty of life and of living. This is me. This is not the same for everybody else, but, this is me. And I cannot be told to run out of the door without a bit of lipgloss on, because, with that little bit of lipgloss on, I will smile bigger, I will laugh louder, and I will appreciate the sunsets more wholeheartedly, This is what my lipgloss does for me. And more often than not, lipgloss is really the only makeup item that I have on. I do enjoy my naked face and I often share photos of myself everywhere sans makeup. And I'd just like to end this article, by saying, that it is a most important discussion to engage in and to pass on, because while it may seem trivial in nature, it really is not. There is a lot of understanding that is to be gleaned from this conversation, a lot of understanding which I hope will help to form your thought patterns and your own outlooks not just towards makeup and women who use makeup, but your own outlook on other people, yourself, and the way you live your life. Have a wonderful day!

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"I am a flawed person. A brook with many stones, a clear blue sky with many blackbirds. I have many shortcomings. A rainbow that’s not long enough, a starry night with clouds. But I can only be thankful to the God who loves me just this way, and I can only be grateful to the people in my life who accept the clear blue sky with many blackbirds and who are patient with the rainbow that isn’t long enough. And because of this, I am taught love, because of this I love my God, and I love these people."— C. JoyBell C.

DISCLAIMER

This blog is not an online diary. Anything reflected through my writings here, do not necessarily mirror my present emotional, mental, or physical state, unless directly stated. Furthermore, any resemblances to you or to anyone you know, is purely coincidental and is not a result of me creating any "blind items" about you or your loved ones and friends. Moreover, your reading of my writings does not constitute a marriage, personal relationship, or personal friendship, between us.